Quartet reach National Playoffs

Four of the Newham Youngbloods teams have progressed to the National play-offs this season, confirming themselves as one of the country’s top basketball outfits.

Three of the teams must travel, with the Under 13 Boys going to Worthing, the Under 18 Men travelling to Ipswich on 12th April 2015, 3pm tip and the Under 18 Girls visiting Nottingham, match details to be confirmed.

The Under 16 Boys are the only Youngbloods team to have home advantage, as a result of their first place finish in the South Premier Division will host Hertfordshire Warriors at St Angela’s on 11th April 2015, 12 pm tip.

Places were confirmed after two busy weekends of action, with back-to-back games played across the country. Coach Caroline Charles said: “It’s all been worth it. Now we have to regroup, settle, re-energise and prepare ourselves.”

The under-18s gained third spot after beating the top two teams in the Premier League in Bristol Flyers and Greenhouse Pioneers. Charles added: “The boys wanted this spot so badly that they beat the top team of the league by 26 points! We couldn’t believe how easy the game against Bristol Flyers seemed. Pioneers also found it hard to contain the East London side and even with their England players could not get the better of Youngbloods.”